5 Reasons You Should Do Yoga + How to Get Started

Monday, July 31, 2017

The other day I shared a post on Instagram talking about my obsession with yoga. A really good yoga practice always gets me thinking about how literally anyone can do yoga, and LOVE IT. Even me, someone who has never enjoyed working out whatsoever. I'm going to share a bit of my "fitness journey" if you will to hopefully inspire some of my wonderful readers to give yoga a go!

Where to start...

When I was in middle school and high school, my parents always wanted me to play sport. Not so I could be the star athlete (because we all know that would NEVER happen), but so I could stay in shape and hopefully have some fun.

I played field hockey through the end of middle school and into my first two years of high school, and it was not fun. I dreamed of being one of the star players that I watched practically dance across the field, but I always got a vibe that no one on that team actually wanted me there because...well, I was an awful field hockey player. I'm not at all competitive when it comes to sports, so the coach would be yelling at me from across the field, vicious sport parents would be screaming bloody murder at me, and other teammates would be staring me down like I was the worst thing to happen to field hockey.

Whoops...sorry.

But not really. Because one day I just realized I didn't care. High school field hockey didn't matter. Who cares if I sucked?

So that's when I joined the cross country team. And I like running, I do. It was tough, but it was an extremely individual sport, so I didn't feel like I was letting anyone down when I didn't do so well. And people were actually supportive... huh. Interesting.

Now, I still like running, and I still run sometimes, but honestly, yoga is the only way I really love to workout now. I mostly avoid running in the summer because I can't deal with heat while I'm running. So this summer? Yoga.

And here why:

1. Yoga is good for both the body and mind.

I'm not a fitness junkie or a yoga expert by any means, but I do know that yoga is a perfectly acceptable form of working out.

In fact, it's so incredibly amazing for your body that it can improve blood circulation, reduce depression/stress/anxiety, and increase your strength and flexibility.

And it's not easy at first; physically or mentally. I remember when I first began yoga the hardest part for me was staying present and not letting my mind wander off into other areas of my life. And when it did wander? It was hard for me not to create judgements about that.

Somehow though, I got there. But yes, my mind still wanders away sometimes during a practice. Now I can just simply notice this, and bring my mind back to the present moment. I don't get upset or angry that other thoughts are creeping in, although they do creep in much less frequently as you continue to practice.

2. The sense of accomplishment

There's nothing more awesome than finally mastering a headstand, or dancers pose, and another tough pose that you have been working on for so long.

Did I ever think I could actually master a headstand? UH no?! But I did.

I still have so much more to learn about yoga, and so many poses that still need improvement, and that's why I try to practice every day (or at least as much as I can, because ya know, life is busy, but yoga keeps that stress away).

3. The post yoga high

I can't even explain the feeling you get after a good yoga practice. It's a feeling of energetic exhaustion. Tired muscles, possibly shaky limbs, but there's truly nothing better. It's like a great gym session, but without the feeling of just wanting to lay in bed for the rest of the day (in my opinion.)

I'm the type of person that instead of feeling energized after a gym workout, I just feel kind of sluggish.

Not with yoga though!

I feel so. good. after yoga. Almost like I want to...do more yoga?

4. The yoga bod

Yep I said it. And it's factor. A lot of people feel motivated to workout because of the results. I've never really thought like that, and since I never really liked the idea of working out, I kind of just pretended that the fact that my body was not toned whatsoever didn't exist.

I don't believe working out should be all about looking good, but also about feeling good. Yoga has genuinely made me feel like a strong person, and I love that.

5. Improved ability to do other workouts

Yoga will get you in shape for absolutely everything. I went for a run on a relatively cool day last week (because I don't do running in the summer heat...yuck), but I thought it would be tough since I hadn't run in months. Honestly though, I felt pretty strong!

My yoga muscles were at work. SO, yoga is a great way to stay in shape for just about everything.

I've seen a lot of people who are genuinely afraid to try yoga. But there's really no reason to fear the yogi! You don't have to be flexible, skinny, athletic, in shape, etc., to start doing yoga. After you've been practicing for awhile though, you may just find that those things just...happen.

So, how do you start?

Buy a yoga mat

Duh, I know. But it's truly the first step. While it's perfectly acceptable to do yoga on your bedroom floor without a mat underneath, there's something about a new yoga mat that's just so inviting.

As many things in life, there are some expensive options and some affordable options. Here are a few that I LOVE.

Buy some cute yoga attire

Y'all, I swear all these tips won't be about making purchases. In fact, these aren't entirely necessary, but it can be so motivating to have some new yoga stuff to get you started.

To me, there's a huge difference between workout clothes (gym clothes) and yoga clothes. While some things can really go either way, there's some that I feel are meant for one or the other.

Don't get me wrong, you can wear anything you feel comfortable in to yoga, or when you're doing yoga. Obviously.

But... who doesn't love cute workout stuff?

Head to a class

While I'm a HUGE fan of at-home yoga, I do think it's important to get a solid foundation of the basics before you jump into doing it all by yourself.

Doing yoga at home is my absolute favorite, because I don't even have to leave my room! I still do love to go to classes sometimes, especially when I'm at school because... It's "FREE."

The college blogger in me would like to add something: My wonderful college readers, I almost guarantee you that your college gym has free yoga classes. TAKE ADVANTAGE!

Keep practicing

It's easy to get discouraged when you just can't master that headstand, or you've lost your balance in a pose again. But there's *no reason* to be discouraged! Yoga is an ongoing practice.

Even the most experienced yogis still have a lot to learn when it comes to yoga.

I totally feel you! It can be super intimidating when you're in a class with really experienced yogis. What helps me is remembering that yoga is about YOU and nobody else is the room :) All those experienced peeps were once in your position as well!